An ever increasing problem of society has been the abduction of children. To assist in a search for missing children, it is essential that a method be devised to determine if an article of clothing uncovered during a search belongs to a missing child. This would greatly assist potential rescuers in providing clues to a potential location of a missing child by positively identifying an article of clothing or some other possession of a missing child.
Presently, there are different methods available of labelling an object for verification of ownership. These methods are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,499,955 to Stoddard; 1,746,955 to Messer; 4,650,219 to Sigman; 5,071,168 to Shamos; and 5,194,289 to Butland.
As indicated in these patents, one method of identifying an individual is through the use of fingerprints. Two methods for making a fingerprint marking are identified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,379,178 and 4,699,077 to Meadows et al. In these patents, fingerprint images are formed by applying a distal portion of a finger to a porous pad impregnated with a solution of marking compound. The finger is then applied to a fingerprint card impregnated with an aqueous solution of polyhydroxy developer. A fingerprint image immediately develops. This "inkless" system may be used for imprinting fingerprints of all the fingers in ten appropriately marked squares of a fingerprint identification card.